In the latest chapter in Westwego's love-hate relationship with Blackwater New Orleans LLC, the City Council on Monday night imposed a nine-month moratorium on expansion at the chemical storage plant on River Road. Second District Councilman Ted Munch, citing discontent among constituents, stopped the company's plans after one of its officials told the council that Blackwater wants to build three additional tanks, allowing it to hold up to six million gallons of nonhazardous, nonflammable product.

Marrocco brought with him a proposed site plan, showing where on the property the tanks would be erected, and left in a huff after Munch accused the business of painting storage tanks only when it wanted something from the city.

Marracco said Blackwater had been cleaning up the property for four years and painted 13 tanks during the past year. "We weren't looking for a quid pro quo here," Marrocco said.

Third District Councilman Ivy Rogers, 4th District Councilman Melvin Guidry and 5th District Councilman Larry Warino joined in Munch's request for the moratorium. First District Councilman Glenn Green, whose district includes the plant, abstained.

It's the second moratorium on Blackwater expansion in as many years. In 2011, the council stopped the company's plans to add 12 tanks in part because Chief Executive Officer Mike Suder called Westwego "the stupidest place on Earth." Council members also cited an alleged poor safety record at the plant and a perceived corporate vagueness about what it wanted to store in the tanks.